Snow White
by JRWStudios
Summary: A princess is supposed to be beautiful and gentle, always graceful and kind. However when only one of a pair of sisters possesses those qualities, jealousy can turn an already bitter sibling sour. Princess Elena has always been the sister who was held in high regard, so praise comes from everywhere. Until the elder sister breaks and threatens the peace. Characters belong to Square
1. Chapter 1

Snow White

AU: Elena x Sephiroth

IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE:

In this story, Elena's father has long since died, and Rufus's father has married her mother. Lazard and Rufus will be referred to as Elena's brothers. Instead of the mother being the jealous one, it will be Elena's sister, Gun, who will be called Elizabeth in this story. Also, there are not 7 Dwarves, but seven Turks (hint hint), and the environment will be more like ours than the one present in Final Fantasy VII, though the creatures will be pretty much the same. A few characters, however, will be OOC, such as President Shinra (King Shinra).

* * *

Chapter One: Everything is About to Change

"Elena! Elena come here!"

The blonde looked up from her book with a sigh, turning her head to watch her sister approach. She wore a scowl unbefitting her role as a princess, twisting her face into one that was completely different from the delicate facade she wore around their parents.

"Elizabeth you must calm yourself. What's wrong?"

The older girl's scowl deeped. "Let me borrow one of your dresses, one of your best dresses."

"But why? Can't you wear one of your own dresses?"

"Do not question me, just do it!"

Elena sighed once more, rising from her spot on the cushioned bench of her chamber's bay window. She narrowed her eyes at her sister as she passed her, walking over to a large wardrobe. "I was not questioning you, I just want to know what you plan to do with my dress. You can't really blame me, what with you bringing so many of my dresses back completely ruined."

"How dare you accuse me of something like that! I am your sister!"

"And that is exactly why I still allow you to borrow from me. Here, take this blue one, but when you return it I don't want anything and I do mean anything, wrong with it!"

Elizabeth clicked her tongue. "Of course..."

Elena watched her older sister leave with the dress before changing into her favorite soft pink one. It wasn't like she was unused to her sister's actions, it had been normal since their father died when Elena was ten. Their father had always treated Elizabeth better, giving her the better clothes, the better food, like he was trying to better the older sister's looks through an elaborate front, only to have it back fire when she became overly spoiled, demanding the very best and ruining everything that she considered lesser.

Their mother's new husband was quite the opposite, as he had immediately recognized Elena as being the ideal daughter, so kind and patient, able to calm any visitor that became too riled up during their stay. Her very presence made the staff happy, and they went about their work with smiles, listening to their beloved princess's songs echo through the palace. In return for her peacekeeping, he had begun early to treat her much better, spoiling her by granting her every wish, and her ever growing library was one example. Even his two sons liked Elena better, treated her better. The older brother, Lazard, even let her ride his personal gold chocobo, Blaze. The other brother, Rufus, gave his pet Guard Hound's only pup to her, and seemed to take a bit of joy out of watching his younger sister play with the small creature.

Elena smiled as the now two year old pitch black hound pranced over, carrying the girl's tiara to her. The blonde giggled, petting her hound as she took the gem encrusted metal from her. She put it in place atop her head, and picked up her basket as a knock sounded at her door. The princess was quick to answer it, smiling at her three armor clad guards as they bowed to her. The only man among them, who was also the only blond, looked away with a scoff.

"Princess Elena, you requested our presence?"

"Yes, I did Cloud. I wish to go to my garden."

The older woman of the group nodded. "I believe the cleric Aerith was on her way there not long ago, along with sir Zack."

"I see. Well, we should be off."

The younger woman smiled. "Yes ma'am!"

Elena nodded, giving them a smile as she started down the hall. "Come along Dark Rose!"

The hound yipped and pranced alongside her, making Cloud sigh as he tried not to trip over her. "Princess, are you aware that Prince Sephiroth will be here today? Princess Elizabeth was supposed to tell you, but I believe we all know she has failed to pass on information to you before."

"And you are right. Tifa, when are they to arrive?"

"Later today Princess. They will be in your court tomorrow."

Elena sighed. "Then I will worry about it tomorrow."

Yuffie laughed, skipping along behind them. "That attitude is just another reason Princess Elena is my favorite!"

The princess giggled, leading her guards out to the stables, when she was happy to find Lazard saddling up Blaze. He gave his sister a smile and led the chocobo over, and Elena ran her fingers over the creature's beak as she took the reins. Blaze cooed, dipping his head before hunching down so she could take her place in the saddle. Lazard chuckled and lifted Dark Rose into her lap.

"Be careful Elena."

"Of course." the woman placed a gently hand on her brother's shoulder. Her guards wasted no time in mounting their own chocobos, and soon they were off, riding down a secluded mountain path to Elena's secret garden. Dark Rose barked as the garden came into sight, but it wasn't the flowers that caught anyone's attention.

Elena halted Blaze and looked at the sight before her. Aerith and Zack weren't anywhere in sight, but three men with black chocobos were sitting in the garden. The tallest one, the one with long silver hair, sat on a large rock in the center, the same spot where Elena usually sat. Standing on either side of him was an armor clad guard, one with medium raven hair, and the other with short red hair.

Elena carefully lifted Dark Rose to her chest as she slid out of her saddle, and let the hound jump down to run forward as her guards hurried to dismount. The princess walked gracefully down the path, the three newcomers not even noticing until Dark Rose reached them, barking and growling. The silver haired man stood, motioning to his guards to stay put as he approached Elena to meet her halfway down one of the perfectly manicured paths.

The blonde raised her hand, signalling her own guards to stay back, as she came to a stop before the man. "Who are you, and why are you in my garden?"

The man rubbed the back of his neck before he bowed. "I'm sorry miss. We were exploring and thought this a nice place to rest. My name is Sephiroth, Prince of Nibelheim. These are my guards, Angeal Hewley and Genesis Rhapsodos."

Cloud walked forward, catching the Prince's attention. "Lord Sephiroth? You've changed since I left."

"Ah, the Strife boy. Finally a knight I see." Sephiroth chuckled.

"Dreams can take you far."

"Yes, indeed they can..." he turned back to Elena. "And you are, presumably one of the princesses?"

"Yes, I am Princess Elena." she smiled, but gasped quietly when he gently pulled her hand up, kissing the back of it as he kneeled.

"Princess Elena, it is an honor to finally meet you. The stories of your kindness have traveled far, even as far as my own small kingdom. You are the very reason I journeyed here."

Elena felt her face heat up with blush. "O-Oh?"

He looked up at her with a smile. "Yes, your majesty. I have come to speak to your father about courting you."

"I-I don't know what to say..."

"How about no?!" the two turned to see Elizabeth riding over on her chocobo with her guards Heidegger and Scarlet. The older girl glared at her sister as she dismounted, making Elena back away. Sephiroth was quick to step in front of her, not at all liking the sinister look on the face of the older Princess. However the blonde sidestepped the Prince, and made all those gathered gasp when she slapped her sister. She was struck with such force she was knocked aside, straight into Sephiroth's arms when he turned to catch her. Tifa and Yuffie pulled Elizabeth away, Angeal and Genesis held her guards at bay. Elena whimpered, holding her cheek as Sephiroth held her close, glaring daggers at her sister. Even Dark Rose was upset, and had to be held by the scruff by Cloud as he tried to keep her from launching after Elizabeth, taking the brunt of her claws.

Luckily, at that moment Elena's parents and brothers showed up, a few of their guards in tow. The boys were quick to realize what was going on, and hopped off their chocobos to run over to their dear sister's side, joining their glares with Sephiroth's. Elizabeth was slow to back away, Tifa and Yuffie making sure she didn't try to slip away, but the two women backed off themselves when the King put a hand on his eldest daughter's shoulder.

"I am very disappointed in you Elizabeth." King Shinra frowned. "I expected you to behave more considerably, but I can see now that there is not an ounce of any sort of kindness in you. You are unbefitting to be a princess of my kingdom."

Elizabeth gasped, looking completely broken as her guards forced her to remount her chocobo, then rode with her back down the path toward the palace. Elena looked at her father in shock, but was even more surprised when he gently pulled her from Sephiroth's protective grasp.

"Elena, my dear, go back to the palace with your guards. Your mother and I need to have a word with our visiting Prince."

The blonde gave the silver haired man a glance before dipping her head to the king. "Of course, father."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Threats Can't Stop Us

Elena chewed her lip as she paced back and forth in front of her chamber window, wishing desperately to know what would happen to her sister. True, Elizabeth had never seemed to care for the younger girl, but despite all that jealousy clouding her judgement, there were many times where she had been a lovely sister, caring for and protecting little Elena.

In fact, Elena was so used to remembering all the good times she had with Elizabeth, she had forgotten why she had become so bitter toward her in the first place. Elena frowned, finally stopping her pacing to turn and stare out her window. She saw her father and everyone else walking through the courtyard below, and caught Sephiroth's eye when he looked up to glance over the palace. He gave her a quick wave before following everyone else inside, and the fact he had been allowed to enter the castle despite the uproar his appearance had caused made her calm down immensely.

However, that calm was lost when she heard her door open, and heard the familiar click of heels approach. Elena was slow to turn around, but when she laid eyes on the woman joining her, she froze. Elizabeth hissed, standing in front of her younger sister with rage burning in her eyes. Though her hands held no weapons, Elena couldn't help but fear that her life was in danger, though what made that sense come over her she was not sure.

"Lookie, lookie Princess Elena has fallen in love with a prince," her sister spoke as though she were reading a nursery rhyme. "Too bad, my dear, your prince isn't here and you are out of time."

"Elizabeth, sister, why? What did I ever do to make you hate me so much?" her heart was breaking. Elena had always adored her sister, and even though she knew now her heart was blackened with jealousy, kind little Elena couldn't help but love Elizabeth still.

"Why? You dare ask me _why_?! You know very well what you did to deserve this, you wretched little girl!" Elizabeth snarled, and lurched forward to wrap her hands around Elena's throat. "You know very well why you deserve to be hated!"

"She's not the one who deserves it from where I'm standing!" Cloud's voice reached Elena's ears moments before her sister was ripped away from her. Tifa and Yuffie were standing in the doorway in shock, not longer clad in their armor it was like they had been preparing for dinner instead of returning to guard her. Cloud, too, was out of his armour, and his cotton shirt was ripped by Elizabeth's nails as she tried to free herself from his grasp. But Cloud was much stronger than his small frame appeared, and he held her back until King Shinra appeared, his face red with anger.

"That's twice today you have proven yourself unworthy of the throne! Elizabeth there will never again be another chance for you! Tifa, Yuffie, take that pathetic excuse for a woman to the dungeon!"

Elizabeth screeched with anger as she was dragged from the room by the two female guards, and Cloud dipped his head to his king before he made to follow them. But King Shinra stopped the knight, and it made him look up again.

"Cloud, just what were you doing so close to my daughter's chambers?"

"Our quarters are below her room sir. I heard a second pair of heels and knew it wasn't the Queen, because she had been in the throne room with you. So I came upstairs to make sure the princess was alright, and found the door open and Elizabeth inside."

"And you found her strangling Elena?"

"No sir, I arrived a moment before that. It was when she went after Elena that I called for Yuffie and Tifa to get upstairs, then jumped in to pull Elizabeth away."

"Why call the girls first?"

"I didn't know if Elizabeth might've had a knife hidden on her or not. If she had managed to turn around and stab me she would have gotten away from me and gone after the princess again, and I didn't want Elena to be unable to have help quickly if that did happen."

"What makes you think Elizabeth might have had a knife?"

"Because Princess Elena carries a knife." as if on cue the princess produced a sharp blade from the shoulder of her dress, showing it to her father to prove what her knight was saying to be true. "And I know that because she has me sharpen it for her regularly, and asked Tifa to sew a holder for it into the shoulder of all of her dresses."

"Elena, why do you carry a knife?" the king's attention was on his daughter now.

"Because I never know what might happen, as if proved by the sudden appearance of my sister just now. If I hadn't heard Cloud running up the stairs, I would have had no choice but to pull my knife to defend myself."

"Hm, alright." the king's look softened until he gave her a smile. "It's been a long day. I'll have the servants bring your dinner to you here. As for you, Cloud, I want you to stand guard outside her room until I send someone to relieve you."

"Yes sir."

* * *

Elena tossed in turned in bed all night, for once too upset to get any sleep. She stared at her ceiling as she finally gave up on rest, but paused, when a gently tapping was heard on her window. The sound also alerted Tifa, as she poked her head into the room as the princess climbed out of bed.

"Princess?"

"One moment." Elena walked over to her window, and peeked out before she opened it. "Prince Sephiroth! You know there are other ways to get a girl's attention."

"Of course there are," the prince's voice made Tifa giggle before ducking back out of the room. "But I find them too unconventional to use at night when I'm in an unfamiliar place. Besides, I wanted to speak to you alone."

"My guard may have something to say about that."

"Then ask them to join us. Shall we go to you flower field together, my dear Princess?"

"Father would surely have a fit were he to find out."

"Let him has his fit then. He's already given me permission to steal your heart."

"Give me a moment to dress." Elena smiled, "And then we shall go to the glade together."

Tifa smirked when she opened the door again, crossing her arms as she leaned against the doorframe. "Need help, princess?"

"Yes please."

* * *

Sephiroth smiled as he saw Elena approaching, two of her guards in tow. Cloud glared at the man but even in the shadows the prince could tell the knight had just awoken, no doubt when he heard Elena trying to sneak away. The boy had always had extraordinary senses, even back when he was just a lad in Nibelheim.

"Sir Strife, Lady Lockhart."

"Prince Sephiroth. I assume you are aware of the events that took place earlier?"Cloud's voice dripped with his obvious annoyance.

"Of course I am."

"Then you should know her father will-"

"I don't care." Sephiroth mounted his chocobo, then held out a hand to the princess. Looking back at her guards with a blush on her face, she accepted the outstretched hand, and let the man lift her up into his lap. With no choice but to saddle and mount their own chocobos, the knights were soon joining the royals, and a moment later riding alongside them to the flower field. Sephiroth easily dismounted with Elena in his arms, and set her on her feet before offering his hand to her once more. She shakily accepted it, and let him lead her out to the rocks in the center. Cloud and Tifa hung back, ready to move should anything happen, as the princess sat on one of the rocks, the prince sitting beside her, still holding her hand.

"Princess, I hope you know I awoke you for more than just a ride to this lovely garden of yours."

"I would hope so." she moved her gaze from the moon kissed flowers to her suitor. "But I'm afraid I haven't the slightest clue what else you have in mind."

"A proposal." he smiled gently, and brushed her bangs behind her ear. "I will be staying here for the week, and if I can make you fall in love with me before weeks end, I want to make you my wife."

"That is a very generous offer considering you only just met me this morning."

"You are a very kind, gentle woman. I don't want to force you into a marriage if you don't love me."

"Then, I think I may just fall for you before the week is up." she returned his gentle smile, and leaned over to press a kiss to his cheek. "But you will just have to find out for yourself."

"I look forward to it, my dear princess."


End file.
